AnGeL Ministries/ Anne Graham Lotz

Analyst Comments [ Back to top ]

AnGel Ministries listed by MinistryWatch.com as a 2011 Shining Light ‘Top 30’ Exemplary Ministry.

This ministry is called a ‘Shining Light’ because it is indeed a model of letting their light shine before men, and God is to be glorified in what they are doing. Consequently, we are shining a figurative light on them so that donors may be aware of their good deeds.

Believers are recognizable by their fruit, which includes the services they perform for Him and for others. We see a glimpse of His light and glory in this ministry and if you do too, you should feel very good about giving to it; however, only you can decide for yourself with confidence if a ministry shares your values and with your giving plan.

Inclusion as a Shining Light does not mean it is perfect. No ministry is perfect and any that look long and hard enough may find areas for improvement; as no doubt most legitimate ministries are aware of areas to improve and have their own to-do list for improvement. As far as MinistryWatch.com’s assessment, given the criteria that we followed, this ministry rose among the top.

Identifying a diversity of the best ministries is challenging given the selfless work that so many do for the cause of Christ. MinistryWatch.com’s assessment looked at the following seven areas when considering those to make the list: (1) Transparency, (2) Truth Claims, (3) Values/ Worldview, (4) Sectors/Functions, (5) Resourcefulness, (6) Red Flag Issues, (7) Counsel with others.

A fuller explanation of our evaluation criteria is on the front page of MinistryWatch.com. As is evident, we looked at many factors and as such, a high Financial Efficiency Rating was not a requirement of inclusion on this list, although most do have good ratings. Many factors were reviewed and strengths in other areas can offset weakness in financial efficiency when determining whether a ministry should be of interest to donors seeking to be good stewards of their giving. A foundational premise was to shine a figurative light on those ministries that were "Christian" more than in name only. Ministries were chosen that were not just marketing to Christians as a market segment for "Christian donor money", but ministries that had theological underpinnings and Biblical values that determined their actions. Organizations that relied more on a secular motivation and means were excluded as well as those “ministries” that seem to view the organization as their own vehicle as a business to make money rather than a love to maximize ministry to others and to let their light shine for the glory of God.

MinistryWatch.com desires to see overall giving to Biblical Christian values increase and as such we developed this format to highlight those ministries which are exemplary. This ministry is an outstanding example when we consider it through the lens of Philippians 4:8 and weigh and take account of those ministries that are excellent and worthy of praise.
====================

MinistryWatch.com’s Take
“The Best Preacher in the Family”

The biblical gift of preaching, being a spiritual endowment, is not something which is genetically transmitted from parent to child. But in the case of the Graham family, one has to wonder. The Reverend Billy Graham, of course, is famous for his world-wide evangelistic Crusades. Franklin Graham has carried on his father’s work, not on the same scale, but certainly in the same spirit. Franklin conducts revival services across the globe, preaching the same straightforward message (“you must be born again”) which his father proclaims. He is also the president of a world-wide humanitarian organization (Samaritan’s Purse) which, in the spirit of the New Evangelicalism which the elder Graham and others gave birth to, takes an active hand in promoting the physical and social well-being of needy people. In spite of such tremendous success in ministry, if you were to ask Billy Graham, “Who is the best preacher in your family, Franklin or yourself?” his answer would be, “neither.” That honor goes to Billy and Ruth Graham’s second daughter, Anne.

Training Ground

Anne Graham Lotz (married to Danny Lotz in 1966), wife and mother of three grown children, did not plan on becoming the dynamic public speaker that she is today. Anne’s public ministry grew out of a personal desire to know God better. She knew from her own experience as a busy wife and mother that it is easy to become distracted from that which matters most. But the daily rounds of life, excellent in their place, cannot sustain the soul. Only Jesus can do that.

Anne’s search for a closer walk with her Savior led to her to become involved in the women’s Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) meetings in her hometown of Raleigh, N.C. At first, she had no intention of leading the class. But when no one else volunteered to teach, Anne took up the challenge. In the beginning she was so shy and self-conscious that she would become sick with nervousness before each meeting. Nevertheless, Anne felt called to do this work, and she persisted in it, teaching the weekly class (which grew to include 500 women) for 12 years, beginning in 1976. As it turned out, these meetings proved to be the training ground for ministry on a much larger scale.

God’s Pediatrician

AnGeL Ministries (AnGeL) is the worldwide itinerant teaching ministry of Anne Graham Lotz. Anne founded AnGeL, which takes its name from her initials, in 1988, when she first came to believe that God was calling her to a ministry beyond the scope of her local BSF class. The purpose of AnGeL is to stir up spiritual revival in the church, especially among Christian women. This mission is implemented by means of revival meetings and conferences, as well as the publication and distribution of Bible study materials. These events and publications feature Anne’s speaking and writing ministry. Although an express intent of AnGeL is to evangelize the lost, the focus is definitely upon discipling Christians. As Anne puts it: “Franklin and Daddy are like the obstetrician; they bring the baby into the world. We at AnGeL Ministries are like the pediatrician; we help the baby grow up.”

A Message from the Word

Anne’s message is quite simple: we need to focus on Jesus. Her method for helping people to do this is also uncomplicated: she advocates personal Bible study, passionate prayer, and selfless obedience. The goal is to cultivate a deeper relationship with Jesus by learning to hear his voice. Anne believes that committed Bible study is a means through which God can speak a personal message to believers. Randy Bishop, writing for Christianity Today, reports that Anne’s own call to ministry came when she read Deuteronomy 1:3, 6-7, where the Israelites depart from Mt. Sinai (Horeb) “in the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month.” On April 1, 1988, the eleventh month of the fortieth year of her own life, Anne “announced to her class that she would be leaving at the end of the year to start her itinerant speaking ministry – AnGeL Ministries.”* As we will see, Anne does advocate objective methods of studying the Bible, but she fully believes that the goal of Bible study is not simply knowledge. God is seeking to move us personally by means of his word.



Just Give Me Jesus

AnGeL’s signature events are the Just Give Me Jesus revivals. These two-day events (Friday evening and all day Saturday) are designed to be a time of spiritual refreshing for women (although men are also welcome to attend). Revivals are conducted at various cities in the U. S. and abroad, in places as various as England, Puerto Rico, and South Korea. AnGeL works with local churches and other groups to organize these events, which are offered free of charge. Donations and offerings are received to help with costs. Thousands of people, mostly women, attend each event.

Just Give Me Jesus revivals open on Friday nights with a time of praise and worship. Next, following the tradition of her father, Anne delivers a straightforward Gospel message and invitation. Unbelievers are invited to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, and then believers are challenged to repent of their sins. Saturday mornings begin with a message from Anne, in which she exhorts her audience to share the Gospel with others. The first part of the afternoon is devoted to a Bible study workshop (see above), and the revival concludes with a final message from Anne. She has used this time to speak on topics such as “Jesus as the Reigning King of Revelation 1” and “Jesus as the Risen Lord in the Gospel of John.” Music and prayer are also featured throughout the two-day revival.

Dynamic Bible Study

“Just Give Me Jesus” may sound like a simple concept, but the revivals are not lacking in substance. For Anne, genuine spirituality comes by way of serious Bible study – and such study does not come easy. The revival features a Bible study workshop, led by Anne, which is designed to help people understand and apply the Bible by means of a “three-question method.” These questions are: (1) “What does the Scripture say?” (2) “What does it mean?” and (3) “How does it apply to my life?” The goal is to help believers learn to rely upon God’s Word so that they may fully obey his will.

Anne insists that knowledge must be fleshed out in obedience. Women are encouraged to look at the facts presented in the text and then to ask specific questions which are designed to move them to apply that text in their lives. These questions are designed to frame an issue, say, the Gospel, and then to help beginners to understand that issue by guiding them through various parts of the Bible. For example, the first part of Anne’s study on The Good News of the Gospel helps readers to define the Gospel by leading them through a series of verses, and then asks them to present the Gospel in their own words “as though telling it to someone who has never heard it.” Thus, the student is moved from knowledge, what the Gospel is, to practical application, sharing the Gospel with others. The study goes on to show what is really at stake in the Gospel message by highlighting its significance, illustrating how the early Christians proclaimed it, and showing the need to defend it. The format is interactive; none of this is presented as mere information.

Anne wants the focus to be on the Bible itself, especially in its application to daily life. Her emphasis on what the text actually says is refreshing, and this may allow people who lack formal training in Bible interpretation to avoid some of the unwholesome subjectivity which tends to limit what they are able to see in the Scriptures. Anne wants people to hear God speaking to them, but she points out that this requires a willingness to step outside of one’s “comfort zone.” Sometimes what the Bible actually says is painful to hear, but Anne insists that the principle of the crucified life – dying to self in order to live for God – is essential to “life, victory, and power. . . .” She does not try to hide from her audience the fact that authentic Christian living involves denying ourselves to follow Christ. Jesus, after all, is to be the focal point of life. As the revival’s name indicates, Anne is convinced that He is sufficient.

A Passionate Pursuit

AnGeL has recently added a second event, called A Passionate Pursuit, an apt title which characterizes Anne’s own life and ministry. A Passionate Pursuit is a three-day conference for women, sponsored by AnGeL ministries and local Christian women leaders, and is designed to build upon the Just Give Me Jesus revivals. Like Just Give Me Jesus, these conferences have the two-fold purpose of helping women recharge their spiritual batteries and equipping them to become more effective readers and teachers of God’s word. A Passionate Pursuit features prayer and worship sessions, a Bible study workshop, and three messages by Anne. The inaugural conference was held in San Diego on January 16-18, 2003, and was attended by more than 1,800 women.

Good as Gold

Anne’s revival and conference ministry is supplemented by a series of book publications and Bible study materials. These items can be purchased directly from AnGeL Ministries, either at an event or online. Although these materials are written on a popular (nontechnical) level, they are not lacking in substance. Anne is, in the words of one journalist, “a serious Bible expositor.” Clear evidence of the quality and depth of her work is the multiple Gold Medallion Awards she has received from Evangelical Christian Publishers Association for excellence in Christian publications. Anne’s award-winning books, all for the category “Bible Studies,” are:

• The Vision of His Glory (1997)
• God’s Story (1998)
• Just Give Me Jesus (2001)
• My Heart’s Cry (2003)